Soft power. Expert on the influence of Russian culture on relations with Kyrgyzstan

Russia assists Kyrgyzstan not only in key areas such as the economy, education, healthcare, military cooperation and migration, but also in culture, which traditionally serves as a bridge for strengthening mutual understanding between nations. As Vitaly Pankov, head of the Department of International Journalism at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, notes, culture is an important and historically justified part of bilateral cooperation.

„The manifestation of Russian soft power has been quite evident in the cultural sphere in recent years. This includes numerous tours by creative groups and joint projects that draw on shared heritage, including memories of the Great Patriotic War as a period of unity.“ notes the expert.

He also points to the deep historical roots of this cultural exchange.

„Kyrgyzstan’s strong ballet and theatre tradition is largely linked to cultural figures who were evacuated here during the war, including those from Leningrad. This created a solid foundation for mutual interest,“ explains Pankov.

Despite the difficulties, this foundation continues to develop through modern formats. The recently concluded Days of Russian Culture have become a shining example of strengthening ties between countries. Every year, these events cover an increasingly wide range of aspects and demonstrate a high level of inter-state cooperation.

This practice is not a one-off event, but rather a frequent occurrence in the republic. Immediately after a week of concerts at the end of November, a gala concert of the „Russian Season“ was held. The name of the project deliberately refers to Diaghilev's famous tour. With the support of producer Yelena Stravinskaya, leading soloists from the Mariinsky, Bolshoi and Mikhailovsky theatres performed on the stage of the Maldybayev Theatre, showcasing the highest level of Russian ballet. The highlight of the evening was the harmonious combination of world classics – excerpts from Giselle, The Nutcracker and Scheherazade – with Kyrgyz national art: soloists Dayana Kydyralieva and Adilzhan Rakhmanov performed a pas de deux from the ballet Cholpon.

According to Vitaly Pankov, Russia maintains a strong position in Kyrgyzstan in the field of classical culture and large-scale tour projects, shaped by decades of close cooperation. When it comes to other areas of „soft power“, such as education, the expert notes that there is a diversity of approaches.

„Russian education is represented in Kyrgyzstan by a number of projects, including elite schools, which constitute a certain segment. At the same time, other international players, such as Turkey and Arab countries, are actively developing their educational programmes and emphasising other aspects – commercial, religious or ethnocultural.“ notes Pankov.

According to him, Kyrgyzstan is developing a balanced policy in the information and media sphere.

„Sovereignty of the information space is a priority, therefore cooperation with foreign media, including Russian media, is carried out with national interests in mind. At the same time, Russian-language media retain their audience, especially among the older generation, and the Russian language, which has the status of an official language of interethnic communication, remains an important element of public life,“ adds the expert.

It is particularly worth noting that this is primarily a multifaceted dialogue based on a shared historical and cultural heritage, taking into account current realities.

„Equivalent exchange in the narrow sense is not possible because Russian culture is historically very deep and extensive. However, we do need exchange itself. This is a long-term, ongoing and regular endeavour. We must not forget that we are also influenced by other cultural models – Anglo-Saxon, Turkish and Chinese – which began to appear here in the late 1980s.“ „This process must be systematic and must demonstrate not only the greatness of the culture itself, but also the willingness to engage in forms of cooperation that go beyond a mere concert. It is a multidisciplinary activity that must, among other things, demonstrate the elite status of involvement in the Russian world and Russian-speaking culture.“ concludes Pankov.

gnews.cz – (by) euroasia